Getting to Congo

I safely arrived in Bunia, DRC yesterday! I have a lot to discuss about all that has happened during the past two weeks.

Orientation

I spent ten days at Samaritan’s Purse’s international head quarters in Boone, North Carolina. There, 14 fellow interns and myself attended a detailed orientation program to learn about the organization’s history and programs. It was somewhat overwhelming to learn about all the ways God is using SP: from proving shelter for those impacted by the Napoli earthquakes to sending 10 million shoe boxes filled with gifts for children last year. I was particularly impressed with how committed Samaritan’s Purse is to ensuring that its employees receive the emotional/spiritual support necessary to prevent burnout and be most effective in our work. I feel humbled to be part of such a great organization, and am excited for all that I will witness and learn in the coming months. 

A group picture of 14 of the 15 interns (plus one new full-time staff person) after a hike in the rain. This fall, Samaritan’s Purse is sending interns to Hati, Liberia, Niger, DRC, South Sudan, Uganda, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Layover in Uganda
Peter Cain, a fellow SP intern to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and I had a two-night layover in Uganda before reaching our base in Bunia. The time waiting was a great opportunity to fight off jet lag, relax, and become reacquainted with Africa. We visited the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe, a place where British botanists imported plants from all over the world during the Colonial Era. According to the tour guide, it was also the site of where one of the old Tarzan movies was filmed (I have yet to confirm this). But regardless of the accuracy of the information given to us, the time was very well spent for one simple fact: we got to feed monkeys!

Final Connection

Yesterday afternoon, I had the experience of riding a small aircraft for the first time. I will admit to being startled every time our tiny single-engine plane hit a cloud and consequently shook. However, we reached our final destination without any problems. The trip from Entebbe, Uganda to Bunia, DRC only took about 70 minutes. 

PS: I can receive text messages and calls from my American cell phone when connected to the Internet. Feel free to contact me by phone after 11 AM CST.